Place to Be Chapter 50

“Uh… I borrow a motor scooter from my landlord Mister only during those times. He has a small one he doesn’t use much, and since I go at dawn and return in the morning, he said it was fine…”

Jang Wigeon fell silent. Looking at the clock, he thought about something for a moment and then asked.

“If it’s a factory, there must be a locker room or a breakroom.”

“Pardon? Yes.”

When Seo Chiyoung replied without knowing the reason, Jang Wigeon went “I see” and poured the beer remaining in his glass onto the ground. “It’s a relief I didn’t drink much,” he said, rinsing his mouth with water before speaking.

“Then I’ll drive you there now. Go and catch even a little more sleep before waking up. You look tired even now.”

“Pardon?… Uh… No, I’m fine…”

Seo Chiyoung turned around in a fluster. Just in time, he saw the last remaining customers at the inner table getting up from their seats.

He was about to say something but stopped and stole glances at Jang Wigeon with troubled eyes; nevertheless, Seo Chiyoung went to calculate the bill for what they had eaten, and Jang Wigeon, seeing the nearly empty plates and glasses, spoke to his friends sitting next to him.

“Let’s head out. You guys must want to go home soon too.”

“…Getting up is fine, but.”

Yoon Junyoung muttered subtly while pouring the beer that was more than half-left in the bottle into a full glass and drinking it, but he said no more and fell silent.

“? Why.”

When Jang Wigeon asked curiously, Kwon Kanghee lightly snatched the glass from Yoon Junyoung’s hand, saying “You’ve had enough,” and emptied the glass himself before speaking casually.

“It seems you’ve taken quite a liking to that young owner.”

Jang Wigeon raised his eyebrows for a moment. He seemed lost in thought briefly, but not long after, he let out a chuckle and nodded readily.

“He’s a good person. Sometimes he has a side that’s so kind it’s almost absurd… just watching him makes my heart feel at ease.”

“Ah,” Yoon Junyoung muttered shortly as if he understood. Kwon Kanghee merely stole a glance at Seo Chiyoung with indifferent eyes.

“You’ve always been the type to give unstintingly to people within your inner circle, but even so, that isn’t easy to do…”

Kwon Kanghee, who was observing Seo Chiyoung anew, set his glass down as if his interest had vanished. At that moment, Seo Chiyoung, having just finished the calculation, said “Thank you. Please come again” to the departing customers and returned to them. Perhaps the thought had been stuck in his mind the whole time he was processing the payment, as soon as he arrived, Seo Chiyoung stood before Jang Wigeon with a serious face and bowed.

“Um, thank you for the offer. But… it’s alright. You don’t have to drive me out of your way…”

“Thinking about stopping by the house to take the scooter from here, it’s better to catch some sleep in the car instead. I can just go home and rest right after, so don’t worry about it and sleep a bit in the car while we go.”

As if he knew Seo Chiyoung would refuse, Jang Wigeon replied calmly, then after a brief pause, he gave a bitter smile and added, “Is it that uncomfortable?” Seo Chiyoung mumbled “No, it’s just…” in distress.

Jang Wigeon gazed at Seo Chiyoung and was lost in thought for a moment before deciding it would be better to speak bluntly; he opened his mouth with a gentle but serious face.

“Mr. Chiyoung. I want to become close with you. To put it simply like a child, should I say I want to be friends… This is the first time since becoming an adult that I’ve consciously thought about wanting to get close to another person. It’s funny and interesting that I’m having these thoughts as an adult who has aged enough, and I find it fascinating myself, but that’s how I feel…. But even so.”

Jang Wigeon gave a faintly bitter smile. Up to that point, as if setting a premise.

“I only do as much as I can provide. For anyone, whether it’s my best friend or family, I never do something if it will make me feel unpleasant afterward. I know that it’s not beneficial for the other person either, not just for me. So, regarding my offer to give you a lift, I understand you’d feel burdened because I know your personality, but honestly, I feel a bit hurt…. Unless there’s a specific reason or you dislike it, I’ll drive you.”

Seo Chiyoung stared at Jang Wigeon, merely blinking his eyes. An answer didn’t come quickly. His face felt like it was momentarily growing hot, but more than that, he stared directly into Jang Wigeon’s eyes because the words he just heard didn’t click immediately.

Then slowly, Seo Chiyoung’s face flushed red. And just as slowly as that color spread, Seo Chiyoung bowed his head.

He looked like he was agonizing over what to do, but in the end, he nodded his head up and down so slightly it was barely visible.

“Yes, thank you,” when the almost inaudible mutter was heard, Jang Wigeon beamed. “You’re welcome,” he said, shaking his head.

“Then let’s clean up the shop quickly and head out.”

At Jang Wigeon’s words, Seo Chiyoung nodded and, as if coming to his senses, began to move diligently.

Watching Seo Chiyoung start by neatly clearing the tables where the customers had just left, Jang Wigeon also began gathering the empty dishes and such placed in front of them.

Beside him, Yoon Junyoung, who had picked up and eaten the last piece of gopchang remaining on the plate, put down his chopsticks, wiped his mouth, and stood up.

“Right, then I’ll head out first. See you again later.”

“Uh, yeah…. Take care.”

Casting a look at Yoon Junyoung and Kwon Kanghee, who stood up following him, Jang Wigeon smiled calmly. A bitter smile flickered across Jang Wigeon’s face as he watched Kwon Kanghee pull Yoon Junyoung in as if wrapping an arm around his shoulders, but that smile vanished as quickly as it had appeared.

Just as they were turning to leave the shop, Jang Wigeon, who had been staring at them blankly, suddenly spoke up.

“Junyoung.”

Yoon Junyoung, who was turning away, looked back at Jang Wigeon. He waited silently, watching Jang Wigeon who remained quiet after calling his name.

The short silence felt very long. As if it spanned several decades.

Finally, at the end of that silence, Jang Wigeon smiled faintly.

“Live well.”

“…Yeah. Thanks.”

Yoon Junyoung looked at Jang Wigeon for a moment before nodding. His mouth looked like it might say something else, but it remained closed after those words. Beside him, Kwon Kanghee slowly spoke.

“Aren’t you going to tell me to live well too?”

“If Junyoung lives well, then you’ll be living well too, so why would I bother saying it?”

Jang Wigeon said with a laugh. Kwon Kanghee also let out a chuckle and muttered, “I suppose that’s true.”

Seo Chiyoung watched Jang Wigeon as he silently watched them walk away into the distance. Then, quietly, so as not to make a loud noise, he began to wash the dishes he had soaked in the sink.

Hearing that sound, Jang Wigeon turned his head toward Seo Chiyoung. And with the same smile as any other time, he stood up.

“Shall we do some cleaning then? These chairs, I just need to put them all up on the tables, right?”

The wall clock he caught a glimpse of was pointing to twelve. Through the window, which didn’t even have curtains, sunlight was pouring in dazzlingly.

It was nearly nine o’clock when Seo Chiyoung returned in the morning and caught some sleep. Scarcely more than three hours had passed since he fell asleep. I could sleep a bit more, so why did my eyes open? he thought with a hazy mind, and just as he was closing his eyes again, Seo Chiyoung recognized why he had woken up only after hearing the ring of the phone by his bedside.

Groping with his hand to pick up the phone, Seo Chiyoung muttered lowly, “Ugh…” His waist, which he had tweaked while loading boxes into the container, throbbed. Still, he had been worried because it throbbed so severely until he collapsed after returning home in the morning, so it was a relief that it felt much better after sleeping.

It would be a problem if he made a mistake and had to go to the hospital for a long time. It had been like that before. A few years ago, when his incessantly moving body collapsed with a scream, he had to go back and forth to the hospital for several months, unable to work properly. Since he couldn’t work while the regular hospital bills were not insignificant, it had been very difficult.

After that, even when working, he was careful to stay within a range where his body wouldn’t be significantly damaged.

“Hello…”